Orthopedic Surgery

About Orthopedic Surgery

The orthopedic surgery service at the Foster Hospital for Small Animals is overseen by our board-certified faculty, who specialize in treating all types of orthopedic trauma (fractures, luxations) and neurologic trauma (fractures and prolapsed intervertebral discs). In addition to surgery, the service also performs diagnostic evaluations of surgical candidates.

One of the more common orthopedic problems in small animals is a rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament in the knee, which is the number-one cause of hind-limb lameness in the dog. Another common condition is hip dysplasia. We perform corrective osteotomy or joint replacement for those cases which require surgery.

Additional procedures are offered for a variety of problems, including correction of angular limb deformities, congenital defects (elbow dysplasia, patellar luxation) and any number of other general orthopedic issues. The orthopedic service also does consults on request for other services, generally lameness evaluation.

Use of advanced techniques for postoperative pain control is an important focus of the service. Postoperative monitoring by critical care veterinarians is available on a 24-hour basis for patients that require it.

The hospital also has a Soft Tissue Surgery Service for patients requiring surgery of soft-tissue problems, particularly of the chest and abdomen.